Sen, Satwik-Chirag, Ayush take men’s team into Asian Games semis, assured of medal - The Indian Express

Pullela Gopichand has appealed many times in the past to never lose faith in Lakshya Sen. An Olympic semis doesn’t happen every other day for India’s men’s singles. Nor do two All England finals. Special talent – explosive net stride – whippy elbow smash – uncrushable attitude: Sen has it all. Those who judge him on first round exits on the Tour events miss the point: he is built for bigger stuff. Like a 3-0 win for India over Japan to assure India a successive team medal.

The bigger stuff comes around every four years in the form of the Asian Games. Yes there is the Olympics. But Asian Games team events simply capture the heart, and never let go. Sen had put India 1-0 ahead against China in 2023 Hangzhou Games team final. Before that he had won India the Thomas Cup In 2022. Paris 2024 saw the Olympics run to semis. His ranking will never reflect it, because consistency is irrelevant. When he’s needed to deliver, Sen fetches up.

As he did against home side Japan whom India were drawn against in the Team Quarterfinals at Nagoya. The start was typically slow. What the world sees as disinterested however, tends to be Sen warming up, mapping the lengths, reading the drift and getting a sense of things. World No 7 Kodai thence raced to take the first set. The 21-11 margin for Kodai might’ve done the job — the lull deceptive enough for the Japanese to relax a tad.

What followed was Sen not giving Kodai enough time to even relax. He would take the second 21-5. The decider fetched up, delegating both sets to a distant memory. Sen then lapsed 10-16 — another fadeout? Another third set no-show? Not so fast. It was the famous Sen grit, the attitude to keep a straight face and wreak havoc. Kodai didn’t know what hit him.

The dazzling reflex defense wasn’t as ostentatious. But coaches Gopichand and Yoo kept reminding him to show some energy, to snap out of the funk that puts him in 10-16 situations.

First thing he did was drag himself out if the doubles-style flat exchanges which on their own aren’t a bad idea, but not against Kodai who plays them better. The length on his lifts too improved. That was not dazzling defense and one of those phases where Sen pulls out ridiculous reflex returns and followed by definitive smash attacks. He instead imposed his unfazed personality – call it attitude – on the game and pulled out a sensational first point for India. He drew out lifts using the net tumbles and the drops. Forcing Kodai to lift brought returns.

The net tumbles are the most underrated part of Sen’s game and as he whittled down the lead, these became crucial coming up to 18-19. A line shuttle plop in back corner took him to 19-19. He had been putting pressure. The tumble leaves you with a bad choice and a worse choice. Kodai ended up hacking it into the net giving Sen a famous win.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy – Chirag Shetty then put it past Takuro Hoki – Yugo Kobayashi 21-18, 24-22, hiking up their attack to close out. And then Ayush Shetty hopped over a stumble in the end to defeat Koki Watanabe in straight sets, to put India in the semis.

It all started with Sen in the land of precious yen.

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More